Inquest jury recommends charging 3 Milwaukee officers

Derek Williams died in police custody

An inquest jury is recommending misdemeanor charges against three Milwaukee police officers who ignored a suspect's pleas for help as he gasped for air in the back of a squad car.

It's now up to prosecutors to decide whether to file formal charges against the officers in the case of Derek Williams. Williams died in July 2011 after gasping for breath and begging for help for about eight minutes in a police car. The officers eventually performed CPR and called paramedics.

The jury also found that there was probable cause that Williams -- who had the genetic marker for sickle cell but not the disease itself -- died of sickle cell crisis.

The officers were not present when the verdict was read in court.

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